Chapter I. (Cont'd)

Then, Līloa saw that she was a beautiful woman, and desired her. They become accustomed with eachother's bodies, and Akahiakuleana became pregnant. Then, Līloa asked of her, "From whom are you? What is your name?" She responded, "I am Akahiakuleana. Kuleanakupiko is my father." Līloa then said, "You are perhaps a "sister" of mine." And she responded, "Perhaps, yes."

Then Līloa gave his command to her regarding the child [she carried], "If the child of ours is born a girl, name her for your side, but if a boy is born, then give him his name, ʻUmi." Akahiakuleana then said, "What then are the symbols that will make clear that this child is yours, the chief's?"

Līloa then gave her his malo, his whale tooth pendant, and his war club, stating, "Here are the symbols for our child, and when he comes of age, give these things to him." Akahiakuleana agreed to this command of Līloa, and she gave to her servant these symbols of Līloa to care for them for their child. Līloa then went on to tie together ti leaves as a malo, and Līloa girded his ti leaf malo.

When he returned to his resting house, his people saw him and noticed that his malo was made of ti leaves. It was not his real malo. They said to him, "There [he is], Līloa has gone insane! That is not his true malo! His malo is made of ti leaves!"

Līloa stayed there [at Koholālele], and waited for the hoʻomāhanahana kapu of his heiau [Manini] to be completed. He then returned to Waipiʻo, where he primarily lived. After those days passed, Akahiakuleana carried ʻUmi [in her womb], and her true kāne came to believe the child was his. He did not know that the child was Līloa's.

When the time came that the child was born, his mother named him ʻUmi, because of Līloa's naming [of the child] when ʻUmi was conceived by Līloa. And ʻUmi was fed and raised until he grew big. Here is something that is said about ʻUmi. During the time in which his father (the kāne of Akahiakuleana) would be farming, the food would be completely finished by ʻUmi, and when his father returned, he would beat ʻUmi. And that is how ʻUmi was beaten by his father; when the food and the fish, each and every thing, was finished, he thought the child was his, and ʻUmi was greatly burdened, as was his mother, by ʻUmi's beatings. Therefore, ʻUmi asked of his mother, "Do I not have another father? Is this my only father?"

Akahiakuleana responded, "You have a father at Waipiʻo. His name is Līloa." ʻUmi then stated, "Perhaps I should go to my father," and his mother responded, "Yes, you should go." When another day came that the food was finished by ʻUmi, and his father beat him again, Akahiakuleana told him, "Oh my kāne, the child you are beating is not yours." Her kāne was furious, and rudely answered her, "Whose is the child? Is he perhaps Liloa's?" Akahiakuleana responded, "Yes, my child is Līloa's." Her kāne then said, "Where are the symbols to show that my child born from within you, my wahine, is indeed Līloa's?" Akahiakuleana called to her wahine servant to bring the things that Līloa had left for ʻUmi. Akahiakuleana then said to her kāne, "Now you can see who the father of this child is," and he did see, indeed, the child was not his.

After this conversation had occurred, Akahiakuleana advised ʻUmi in the proper way to travel to Waipiʻo, to see Līloa. ʻUmi then girded Līloa's malo, and wore his whale tooth necklace and grasped his lāʻau pālau (war club). Then, she advised ʻUmi as such, "When you descend in to Waipiʻo and arrive at the bottom of the cliff, go and swim across that side of the river, and you will see the house facing directly towards you. That is the true house of Līloa.

Do not enter through the main entrance to the corridor. Rather, climb over the wall. Do not go through the main entrance, but enter on the wall.

If you see an old man surrounded by kāhili (feather standards), that is your father. Go and climb on to his lap, and if he asks you of your name, tell him, 'My name is ʻUmi.'"

ʻUmi agreed to the advice of his mother, and Akahiakuleana commanded ʻŌmaʻokāmau to go along with ʻUmi. Akahiakuleana gave Līloa's lāʻau pālau (war club) to ʻŌmaʻokāmau, and told him, "Protect the war club of Līloa."

When this conversation had ended, they went, just the two of them, no others came along. Until they arrived at Keahakea. There they encountered a child named Piʻimaiwaʻa. He asked them, "Where are you two going?" They responded, "Waipiʻo." Then ʻUmi said to Piʻimaiwaʻa, "You will be a keiki hoʻokama (adopted child) of mine, and we will go to Waipiʻo." Piʻimaiwaʻa agreed and they continued on their way. When they arrived at Waipiʻo, they descended into the valley at Koaʻekea until they reached the bottom of the cliff. There they swam across the river of Wailoa. When they arrived at the other side, they saw the house of Līloa standing at Haunokamaahala, with its entrance facing directly towards them.

As they approached the house, ʻUmi commanded the two others, "You two stay here. I will go to see Līloa. You two wait for me; if I go and am killed, you should return to where we came from; but, if I return to you alive, we will all live well." When his words were complete, ʻUmi proceeded onward.

(To be continued)

Written by Simeon Keliikaapuni, Jan. 25, 1862Republished and translated by Kealaulili

Mahalo. Wonderful translation of an important document. Again, mahalo.

Reply

Leave a Reply.

About the story...

"He Moolelo no Umi" is one of the earliest known published versions of the story of ʻUmi-a-Liloa, the great chief of Hāmākua, Hawaiʻi. The version of this story that is republished and translated here was first published by Simeon Keliikaapuni and J. H. Z. Kalunaaina in 1862, in the Hawaiian language newspaper called Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. After Keliikaapuni & Kalunaaina published "He Moolelo no Umi," similar versions of this important moʻolelo were published and republished in newspapers by a number of others throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Our kūpuna clearly valued this moʻolelo and the lessons it imbued upon each generation who learned it. We, in the same spirit that inspired our kūpuna to retell this moʻolelo, represent it here, in both its original language and in english, so that our generation and the many generations to come may derive knowledge from the important lessons held within this moʻolelo. And so that we, kamaʻāina of Hāmākua, may find pride in the deep cultural heritage and history of our beloved homelands, the birthplace of this great chief, ʻUmi-a-Līloa.

Categories

Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili is a community-based nonprofit organization. Our mission is to re-establish the systems that sustain our community through educational initiatives and land-based practices that cultivate abundance, regenerate responsibilities, and promote collective health and well-being.